Hockey: Mvita XI shines in Daikyo Japan contest
Hockey
By
Ernest Ndunda
| Sep 27, 2017
Premier league side Mvita XI were crowned the new champions of the inaugural Daikyo Japan Motors Mombasa five-a-side hockey champions at the Astro turf Um Kulsum grounds in Mombasa.
The final match that featured former international players saw Mvita XI win after a 4-3 victory over Mombasa Sports Club’s Warthogs.
The final was tightly contested, with Warthogs opening the score sheet through Sydney Rubia in the second minute before Mvita replied a minute later through Austin Otieno. Otieno completed his brace in the fourth minute for Mvita to lead 2-1 at the break.
Mombasa Sports Club levelled the terms with Rubia’s goal in the ninth minute of the second half as Otieno completed his hat-trick before Ali Kale added the fourth goal. Rubia was at it again with a hat-trick for Mombasa Sports Club in the dying minutes of the match.
En route to the final, Warthogs rallied from behind to beat Mvita Wazee 4-3, with goals from Kevin Asaya, Joel Naliaina, and a double from Sydney Rubia to secure their final berth.
Mvita Wazee scored through a brace from Enox Kalama and Wycliffe Obonyo.
In the second semi-final, Mvita XI went on to thrash newsboy’s Pwani XI 6-1, with two goals from Ali Kale and four from prolific striker Farhan Khan as Pwani XI scored through Daniel Sanga.
Although it was a Federation of International Hockey (FIH) Olympic-recognised sport, the events’ version is rarely played in Kenya.
“We are happy to have organised such an event and the eight teams that participated really learnt a lot from this form of hockey,” said the Coast Hockey Association chairman, Oliver Mascarenhas.
Pool A consisted of Mvita XI, Malindi Hockey Club, Veterans, and MSC Warthogs. Pool B had Mombasa West, Mvita Wazee, Pwani XI, and Mombasa Sports Club.
Daikyo Japan Motors Director Farhan Khan said they will stage the event annually. “We want to promote hockey in the Coast region,” said Khan. [Ernest Ndunda]